#i learnt shading just for this lol

[fridgerat]

[romance-club-daily]

Why do many find the HS universe disappointing? I LIKE IT (no shade to those who don’t like it). Astrea’s broken heart being a part of the universe is mind-blowing! It adds such depth and complexity to the characters. Like, they could’ve kept the spoiler after Diamond Rush (which I’m patiently waiting on, lol)

I look at it as an exciting evolution of the story. It opens up new possibilities for character development and plot twists that we might not have anticipated. It feels like the author(s) is inviting us to explore a more expansive universe, where the stakes are higher and the stories can take unexpected turns. I’m excited to see where this journey leads us next!

I wish I could agree with you anon, but I can't, not for now (at least).

Ranting incoming! Sorry in advance! I have some points and you can feel free to disagree with me too.

Everything you brought up as an argument could work precisely because Astrea's Broken Heart (ABH) is not from the same universe as Heaven's Secret (HS).

I'm not against stories that are set in the same universe, given the post on the connections between contemporary and mundane stories that I pointed out a few days ago (7 Brothers, Garden of Eden, The One, Vying for Versailles and Elite Tag). I think these are easier because the lore is grounded in reality, nothing supernatural or anything like that. The connection between Chasing You (CY) and HS doesn't bother me either, precisely because CY is a story with completely different themes, the HS plot wouldn't directly affect the CY plot (they all die in the 1st apocalypse?. Probably. Nobody cares because that's not what the story is about). And honestly, it seemed more like an easter egg than something really thought out.

But ABH deals with precisely the same theme as HS (the same mythology in this case), except that before we learnt about the joining of universes, the way this theme was being dealt with was different from what we had seen in HS and was, in my opinion, a breath of fresh air compared to HS. The way the hierarchies were beginning to be dealt with, the interaction of the then angels with the Father, the characters' relationship with the subject and so on. New things (and better in my opinion).

But as soon as you say that this story takes place in a universe of an already established story (which already has 2 stories, 3 in fact), things start to go wrong. Because in order to subjugate a story to a universe, things start to become limited at certain points. There are things you can't do, and if the aim is to keep the universe cohesive in the writing, adding lore here and there like the issue of angels in Heaven's Secret Requiem (HSR) is valid and doesn't affect the story, but what about Mikael being the Father's right hand (because they call him Father), Raphael being that important to Him, but in the HS universe there's no mention of them, or the treatment isn't even the same?

The Beast also seems to be an important figure in ABH, a supreme evil. But putting it in HS is going to be what? Because we know that evil is the Shepamalum, the first Satan presented in HS1 was a minion and honestly, hell looked more like a corporation with a CEO taking part every quarter of a year? Is the beast going to be Satan #546465? Will it be antichrist #7894646? Or will it be Shepamalum? Or demon Larry who made a revolution calling for better working conditions and decided to sacrifice some people as a form of rebellion?

Jokes aside, I can't see how a story that's just starting its second season suddenly (because I don't know to what extent this was planned inside, but as an audience we only know about it now - another problem) has to subjugate itself to an existing universe with its most important hierarchies and lores that have already been established. The number of plot holes is going to increase a lot.

Which brings us to the point of how this was passed on to the public. How do you announce something important like that after the second season of a story, already established, and via Facebook of all places???????? Like?

I have theories. Firstly, the two stories were released on the same day. HSR as a direct spin-off. nice. ABH as something completely new, interesting, unusual. ok. Announcing two spin-offs of the same book, on the same day, would be insane and the accusations of capitalising on every drop of HS's popularity would be off the charts (we've only had that with the HSR part, but it would probably be worse). But doing it afterwards, the way it's being done, isn't much better, the backlash is there and I think it's fair.

They probably waited to see if the book was going to be a success on its own, so that they could talk about it and people wouldn't get too outraged (from the reactions it didn't do much good). They could have done this much more organically. This month's update would finally introduce us to the agency's superiors, and what better way to announce that a story is part of an existing universe than by mentioning existing characters! They could take advantage of this and introduce already known characters, or just mention them by name. It would be much more organic and we would see the connection in the story, not in a random Facebook advert.

Another point is that it could be that they didn't want to create a story of similar mythologies that rival each other. HS has its own fanbase, ABH is also creating its own, the way it's constructed is different, and I think the latter is better. Then, to avoid problems, they put everything in the same universe and that was that. But I don't really believe that because Alice herself (HS) is Elena's (ABH) editor in the story. Which leads me to wonder, was this planned from the start or did they see the potential later and change their minds in the middle of the first season? How serious is this for them to announce it on Facebook and not in the story itself? They had to have the guts to admit it on launch day, why hide it?

So as not to be too long-winded, and to summarise my opinion, I don't think it's an advantage for ABH because it limits the development of the lore too much, since what is going to be dealt with already exists in a certain way, the plot and the development of the plot worry me within this universe. On the other hand, it's advantageous for HS because the popularity of ABH joins it. I don't like the decision at first, I'm going to continue treating them as separate things. I really hope that they have a plan up their sleeve that is spectacular, that things work out and no story is harmed in the process, because ABH has become one of my favourite books. And I must emphasise that I also don't like the way they're trying to squeeze every last drop out of HS, the way it's been done has its ups and downs, HSR was a good decision, HS2 not so much. As well as having other stories that deserve continuation and an exploration of the universe (such as Moonborn with the werewolf and vampire clans, Sails in the Fog with other pirates, Heart of Trespia with the unexplored lands beyond the sea…).

I guess, that's what I think about it. And sorry for the long text again!

[ask-squidbeaks-agents]

cap did you ever have to save callie if 4 was busy or did she stop with the shades by the time you got back?

// Three means how didn't she go crazy from doing the same thing over and over and over again- Also that last image is just an edited screenshot from the game lol

Captain: Once, It was long before the Metro or before I even learnt my sister was Agent Four. She hadn't turned up so Marie called me in... I really don't know how she did that day in day out without going crazy...

[thelonewolf48]

Hello, Blank the series community!

How are we processing the ending of season 1? Are you angry? Do you understand Khun Neung's actions? Do we want to hit her? Yes, you say? 🤣🤣🤣

I wanted to wait a bit (also got busy at work lol) to avoid any spoilers for anyone who don't watch Episode 6 and last one for a while... I don't know how I'm gonna cope with it tbh... I'm following 23.5 and other web series but tbh... never on the level of Blank... I have to admit that GAP did it first but Blank did it better... which, no shade to GAP because FreenBecky, my beloved, chemistry was so good too!

And to clarify, GAP the series also had its own set of problems, most of them regarding money and locations, but what they did, opened the door for more GLs. Some, with good and bad executions, but that's up to each person and their preferences to decide!

BUT ENOUGH OF GAP (the perfect GL, to me!) Let's talk about BLANK!

As a start... I didn't like that they began from when Aneung knocked on Neung's door... it ate like 4 more minutes with them, plus they didn't keep the same tension.

On Episode 5, the tension was felt thanks to the zoom on their faces that lasted quite a good amount of seconds and Faye's minuscule lean.

This time it was cut and then bam! KISS! (NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING!)

I'm not gonna go on full detail because I believe we all watched the episode, there are a few technical things I want to point out but I won't because nah! There was some foreshadowing to the doom that was to come... and no, I don't say this as a person who has read the book 🤭

I will go straight to that last part...

I had to go back to read that last part in the book because I wanted to keep this as accurate as I can.

So, throughout the episode, we see Aneung's family praising how good of a Role Model Neung is for Aneung. This is the first red flag. Then we see Neung still having doubts about their age gap which I find normal in this setting, because it can happen. This is the second red flag.

The final nail to the coffin, and the one I think everyone should consider whenever questioning WHY Neung broke this as cruel as she did, is that she thought she used Aneung as a way to distract her own pain.

In the book, and the reason why I re-read it, Neung sounds more detached, more out of the moment, and at some point even more aggressive about it. In the series, Neung, although also feeling out of the moment, the scene takes a more soft and romantic approach. They show us Neung's walls falling and accepting that she does indeed love Aneung.

Also, the "brake up" is harsher. Feels like a slap.

Now, we have to consider that in the book, right after their love making Aneung goes to school, everything seems fine, heavy, but good enough. Things happen, that I won't reveal because it could be spoilers, but one of those things is that Fah calls Neung about the funeral and everything. Fah is the one telling Neung that she trusts Neung, she's a role model, and she knows she will take care of Aneung.

Here, there is something I wanted to point out. To hear Fah say it, right after what happened it's what triggers Neung to break Aneung's heart. As logical as Neung is, that is the conclusion she gets after everything.

Aneung is young, thus can fall in love again with someone around her age. This is the conclusion Neung forms in her head. Plus, she sees something else that triggers a reaction. Something we will see in season 2 😆 so, no spoilers but maybe some of you can imagine what.

Neung is very logical, very cutthroat, and as stubborn as their grandmother. We have to remember that, as the eldest, she was trained to be the next heir. So, her life was very, very different. If you see any royal family, the image they project is one of perfection. So, it's no wonder that Neung learnt how to mask her feelings. If something hurts, hurt it back a thousand times worse. Or better yet, just ignore it.

Neung, just like Sam after she became the heir, prefers avoid her feelings because she knows caring equals pain. So, why bother?

There's a whole process Neung does before she goes to Aneung, in the book.

But I have to admit that the series spin was chef kiss! I'm sure that Neung, after waking up, was blaming herself for letting things escalate so quickly.

I will defend Neung with my whole heart because the traumas she carries makes her scared. And like a feral animal, the only way she knows how to defend herself is attacking. She pushes and pushes until she proves to herself that she is right. Everyone leaves.

I could continue rambling and going and just word spit things, but I have to sleep 🤣🤣🤣

Don't share spoilers if you read the book! Unless people want them, I will keep my posts spoiler free! Either way, if anyone wants to discuss the book, you can send me a message too!

Once again, I say this Blank the series set the bar waaaaaaay too high! I can't deny it!

Anyway, guys, do you agree? Disagree? Let's have a respectful debate!

[noyasaur]

hello this is probs a dumb question but oh well

so, basically i wanna make a waiting room where i can basically do everything and learn anything. so i have two questions:

If i make a skill room in my WR, and i learn skills there, will i know how to do them when i shift back to my CR?

Lets say someone was sick in their CR, but couldnt get diagnosed. (We’ll say they have like anxiety or smth) if they scripted everything abt themselves into a WR script, and script a doctor, could they get diagnosed with something they have in their CR in their WR if they can afford to do it in their CR? Hope that one makes sense idrk how to word it lol

have a good day :)

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

hello anon! i'm not going to waste any time here and i'm just going to jump straight into answering your questions!

🪐 IF I MAKE A SKILL ROOM IN MY WR, AND I LEARN SKILLS THERE, WILL I KNOW HOW TO DO THEM WHEN I SHIFT BACK TO MY CR?

first of all, yes! it is possible to learn skills in your waiting room (and any reality for that matter) and bring them back to your current reality. since when you shift to your waiting room and go through the learning process of the skill you want to learn, you will still have the memory of the particular skill you learned. so when you return to your current reality, you will still have that skill.

for example, if i were to learn a language in my waiting room/desired reality, i am able to retain that knowledge and return to my current reality knowing whatever i've learnt.

now here comes the 'issue' with other specific skills; physical skills. things like fighting, dancing- the question is whether you can come back and execute such skills you've learnt. your current reality body may be different to your waiting room/desired reality self and while you may be able to remember the knowledge you've learnt, would your cr body be able to execute the things you've learnt?

for example, you go to your waiting room and decide you want to learn how to dance with your current body. as you learn to dance, your body in your waiting room may get fitter or stronger as you progress. but when you return to your 'original reality' you will have all that knowledge but since it's a different body, you may execute it a bit differently. unless you script that your waiting room body stays the same as your current reality body and in a way your current reality body can execute the skill you've learnt, for example.

even for things like you shifting to a reality where you're already fluent in a language and then you come back to your 'original reality' "you won't be totally fluent since you didn't learn it in your current reality."

well, this is what many in the shifting community says anyways (*cough* shifttok *cough* no shade whatsoever hehe): that you have to learn skills to be able to bring them back.

but who says i can't just decide to shift back to a version of my 'original reality' where i am fluent in so-and-so language, even though i didn't learn it over there?

who's to say i can't shift back to a version of my 'original reality' where i have the same body as i do in, let's say my superhero desired reality so i am able to execute the same fighting moves and self-defence as i can in my desired reality?

if there are an infinite amount of realities out there and people can shift to defy the laws of physics and have superpowers, why is it so farfetched to be able to 'change' our 'original reality'? this reality is no different from any other reality and our reality isn't exempt from being limitless and changeable. unless you assume so (law of assumption!!).

reality shifting goes way deeper than anyone thinks but i feel many reality shifters look at shifting on a 'surface-level'. that yes, we are shifting to a whole different reality different to this one. and yes, we can't change a reality or bring anything into a reality, but alongside our current reality, exist an infinite amount of realities that differ slightly and hold every single possibility out there. reality shifting and manifestation are intertwined. we are shifting realities every single second. what do you think happens when we manifest something? we simply shift to a reality where we have what we want.

you can most definitely shift to learn skills and come back to this reality knowing them. you can definitely shift to a reality where you're fluent in a language and then decide to shift back to a version of your 'original reality' where you are fluent in that language, without having to learn it. you can 100% shift back from your dr and back to your 'original reality' where you have your dream body. again, any reality is malleable and in your control, just not in the way you think.

you choose what you get to experience, and you choose what's possible and impossible.

i went on a bit of a tangent here but the answer to your question is a one hundred percent yes :)

🪐 LET'S SAY SOMEONE WAS SICK IN THEIR CR, BUT COULDN'T GET DIAGNOSED. (WE'LL SAY THEY HAVE LIKE ANXIETY OR SMTH). IF THEY SCRIPTED EVERYTHING ABOUT THEMSELVES INTO A WR SCRIPT, AND SCRIPT A DOCTOR, COULD THEY GET DIAGNOSED WITH SOMETHING THEY HAVE IN THEIR CR IN THEIR WR IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT IN THEIR CR?

again, i don't see why this isn't possible! in fact, i've even thought of doing this before. if infinite realities exist, there is 100% a reality out there where you can shift to a waiting room with a doctor and you were the exact version of yourself from your 'original reality' to get diagnosed with something and get the help you need.

and honestly, if you ever have a question regarding shifting and wondering, "is this possible?" the answer is always going to be a big, fat, YES!

reality shifting is limitless. there are INFINITE realities, and INFINITE possibilities. i feel like some people tend to underestimate how really big INFINITE is. and we hardly can; it's infinite. anything that is humanly possible and impossible, every single outcome, possibility, EXISTS out there. NOTHING is impossible and everything is POSSIBLE.

reality shifting is limitless until you start limiting yourself :D

i hope this helped! i apologise if i went a bit off-topic here but i hope i was able to answer your question! i wish you the very best of luck with reality shifting and have a good day as well! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

- saturn ♡

[keirosims]

Hi! I love your cc!! I've been trying to find a tutorial for how to make something take on the texture of a sims body, like your tails do, and vice versa how to make a piece of cc that does that have different swatches instead. Haven't been able to find anything and I was wondering if you might know of one? No worries if not, thank you!

Hi! Thank you so much! So sorry for the delay with this, my internet died last week and I’ve been busy since then. I honestly can’t remember when I learnt how to make it take the texture from the skin but iirc it was me just asking someone else how to rather than an actual tutorial. The process is super simple so I’ll do a lil tutorial here for it

Depending on how you have your blender set up you might not have the extra window like I do, so go up to where the red circle is, click and drag those 3 diagonal lines and it’ll open a new viewpoint.

Click on the icon at the bottom of the viewpoint.

Select UV/Image Editor, the window will then look like the one on the left with the pixel grid.

4. Click this box and change the mode from Object Mode to Edit Mode. 5. Press A on the keyboard to select the entire mesh. 6. Press U on the keyboard and select Unwrap. (There are different ways to unwrap an object, but considering how tiny the UV will end up and it not needing a "proper" texture, there’s not really any point in doing any fancy unwrapping here)

7. After unwrapping you will see the UV map of your mesh in the UV editor 8. Click Open and find the UV image (Linked Here)

9. Click in the UV Editor window so it is active, press A to select the object's UV and then press S and scale it down (Move the mouse to scale it). Then press G and move it to where you want the object to take the skin colour from. For horns I tend to go for mid forehead, for my tails I go near the ear because the back skin is slightly darker/shaded so it blends better.

10. Now, the texture won’t immediately take note of the skin colour, so to fix that click the Material icon and then click New.

11. Click the icon next to Material and choose BaseTexture. This will apply the texture to the horns.

12. (Edited two screenshots together to show the uv placement, it won’t show it when you’re in object mode) Now back in object mode on the mesh viewpoint you can see that the mesh is now taking the colour or skin from the sim's forehead! You can move it around if you want to see if there's any other area you prefer, but be mindful of where other objects and textures will interact. With my tails and horns any hairs that have shadows or cover the ears will have issues with darkening the horns' colour. It's kinda inevitable honestly.

13. Now it’s just a case of importing it into Sims 4 Studio like other cc, for my horns I used earrings, but for the children and younger I used the blank body mesh (Because there's literally no base game accessories for any of them which don't have additional issues? I tried a bracelet but with long sleeve the horns would disappear, and I didn't have the patience to figure out exactly how to stop that lol). I replace the existing texture in Sims 4 Studio with a completely blank image (That’s the same size as the UV map)

The process for regular texturing is very similar, but I used a regular blender tutorial for that. There is also This Tutorial which goes over how to properly divide up your mesh for a cleaner UV map.

To get a image you can use to apply an actual texture, whilst in edit mode, click A to select the UV map, then click UV at the bottom and then Export UV Layout. This will save an image that just shows where your UV is, you can then use this as a guide when painting/applying a texture.

This is how my UV map looks after exporting and after painting it the texture I want. You can then reimport your textured image back into blender to see how it looks. Also if you've already imported your file into S4S you can simply just import the texture and it should apply.

I hope this all makes sense! Any questions I'll try to answer!

[surveillance-0011]

Hey what if I *draws your alien that hates humans as humans* lol

These are all a little old (from jan-march) but save for giblets I feel like I’ve got everyone pinned down nicely. Notes under the cut!! Don’t repost, feel free to tell me what you think 💕

1-2: Krubis. I hope you see my vision here. Mostly just trying to figure out if I like this hair texture for him or if I go curlier. I’m set for his work outfit though and I like the idea of him wearing glasses or shades 24/7. But yknow. I think this captures his essence. This is the sort of person he is in my eyes.

The second doodle is kind of rushed but I think in a human au maybe he’d forgo a prosthetic in most circumstances. Hell I think if he can remove the drill at all in canon then he does so when it comes to paperwork and shit. I think he was born without the arm so hes learnt to get by without any sort of prosthetic. I need to do more research into the matter though

3: Douglas. The shorter cut is more in character but I do like the (VERY SPLATOON INSPIRED BTW) braid idea. I think he’s on the younger side alongside the Skrendels? But also he’s very baby faced I think. To mirror the whole “actually Douglas was the silly blue goober the whole time” thing

4: Dr. Giblets. As I said before this sketch is a bit old but I did touch it up. A bit too lanky his face needs to be rounder. I think he’s the oldest of the officers maybe older than Garm. Probably? Not by much. Also 5 Torg in the corner but I didn’t like how she came out so she’ll be in the next batch of whatever 💔💔💔

5: Angela + Jonathan in armor bc for a human/more anthro au I think they’d all have these helmets that mirror the one big eye(and headcanons for what happens when they argue: Angela mediates between Jonathan and Mona, Jonathan does the same when Angela argues with Mona, and Mona just straight up leaves the two to beat the shit out of each other then tearfully apologize .). Also nipulon weezer blue.

6: Garmantuous. Idk if he should be bald or not. Also like 40? Could be a bit older maybe even younger… extra eyes HAVE TO be plugs though I have decided on this. I feel smart for this.

7: more Mona ^_^ more developed sketch of the same hc that he just dips if the other two ever argue + fem presenting alt design + probably what went through his head by the time the BH took out his other brothers during the fight. Also his hair would be bleached blonde 👍🏼 but all the Skrendels have very dark hair naturally.

(On that note: as mentioned before Krubis’s hair is all grey now to mirror the drill. Douglas not sure probably brown or strawberry blond/gingery but dyed blue. Giblets. Uh. Idk it’s pink ish but that way naturally somehow and greying obviously. Garm also blonde but probably bleached? And like I said Skrendels all have black or brown hair but Mona bleached his and Jonathan dyes his hair every now and then

[farmerlarrry]

Orange Slices (Joel Miller x f!reader)

masterlist | chapter ten | chapter nine | read on ao3 | playlist

story summary: A story about finding companionship and love in the midst of chaos.

a/n:  Happy The Last of Us day everyone!! Also happy birthday to Joel. <3 (posting this a bit late in the day but it IS the 26th for me still lol). Had to do a transitional chapter for everything to add up and make sense later on, next chapter will be much more exciting!!

word count: 4050

if you want to be notified when I post new chapters, follow @farmerlarrrylibrary and put on notifications! If you'd rather be tagged, just let me know.

Chapter Eleven

Roughly a year and some months later

Summer is quickly coming to an end, the leaves have started to turn into warm tones of red, orange, and yellow. The lush greenness of the land disappears with each new day. It’s just about midday and you’ve been sitting at the base of a boulder for about an hour now, simply staring off into the distance. A layer of freshly fallen leaves coat the ground. You feel wholly at peace. A chill runs down your spine as a slight breeze begins to pick up. The sound of leaves rustling reminds you of a thousand little whispers, making you not feel so alone up here. You tuck your knees in closer to your chest, regretting not wearing or bringing anything warmer than your thin long sleeve shirt out on today’s patrol.

It’s a very serene day. Patrol went perfectly fine, you had a longer trek than usual as it was your day to check on the dam. Of course, nothing was out of the ordinary and you sort of went into a state of autopilot. From there, you circled around, heading straight for the outlook as you do most days. Everyday is pretty much the same, and have begun to blend into one another. Wake up, patrol, outlook, dinner, sleep. Rinse and repeat. Every. Day. The one thing that you never get tired of is coming here. The view is just as beautiful as the first time you saw it. In some sort of strange way, when you’re here, you can still feel the strong, intense presence of Joel, as if a part of himself still remains up here even after he’s left. Today in particular, it’s extra strong and in an odd way, it’s comforting.

You take a look next to you, looking at the barren ground. A bittersweet feeling overcomes you, one you have to immediately ward off before you become nauseous or it turns into something more. The feeling comes and goes. 

When you first started coming out here on your own, it was in the dead winter. You’d only stay a few minutes, sometimes a half hour at most, but never longer. The reasoning not really being the weather, how the cold seeped in through your thick winter coat chilling your right down to your core, or how your nose was so cold it’d take the rest of the day to regain feeling. Sure you’d use that as an excuse to yourself, but deep down you knew the real reason. The memory of the last time you saw Joel haunted you for months after his departure. You couldn't escape the guilt nor the hurt it caused. It took you a while to build up to spending more time up here. When spring came and your emotions subsided, you started staying for longer periods of time. Soon you began to bring your lunch with you, slipping books in your backpack to sit under the shade on the warm summer days. For your birthday, Nessa gifted you a beautiful leather bound journal. She told you she had it made special for you by someone in the community, remembering how you loved writing and journaling back in high school. After that you started carrying it with you everywhere you went. You haven’t quite gotten into the routine of writing regularly, but on the occasion you do, you’ve found it to be therapeutic. This is how you’ve learnt to deal with things, with pen and paper. 

Tucking the pen between your lips, you pull out your leather bound journal and flip open to the last entry, there’s about a half page worth of writing.

Sometime in mid July.

Tommy and I just came back from a couple day trip. It was just him and I this time. We ended up coming back empty handed, not that it really matters, since we just go out for fun, to get out of the community and have some time to ourselves. Spent a lot of it hiking. It was a peaceful trip this time around, we weren't bothered by no one or came in contact with any infected (unfortunately the number of infected popping up outside of the city has been increasing as of late) Nessa said she wants to come along next time… Tommy told her she could just to make her happy, but we both know she wouldn’t be able to last a night out here without throwing some sort of tantrum. The ground is too hard, she can’t sleep because she’s scared, she’s cold, she’s hungry…. I love Nessa to death, but taking her out on a trip like this is not my definition of relaxation or fun. Tommy was telling me on the way back he wants to take an extended trip soon, it’s been awhile since he’s done one (last one was when he found me). Maria has told him no multiple times already, telling him it’s not worth the risk and that Jackson is already doing so good on its own. He sort of alluded to his want to go east. I didn’t say much, I hope he invites me along if he does end up planning something.

After glancing over the words, you flip to the next available blank page, tapping the blunt end of the pen against your chin thinking about what you should write.

—

You’ve been in the community for little over a year now. To you, it really doesn’t seem like it’s been that long. Time really does go by fast, especially when you’re living, not just surviving. Within the last year, you’ve been able to create a life, you have a few people you’d consider your friends, you have a job, and you finally feel like your life is yours. The feeling of not belonging quickly subsided after about two months in. It was like your body and mind finally caught up, realizing you didn’t always have to build your walls up so high, always having to be on the outlook for potential danger. Life feels normal. Well, as normal as you can imagine.

You somehow managed to push past your hatred toward Nessa’s group of friends. At first it was no easy feat, most of the time having to bite on your tongue, or completely remove yourself from whatever situation was causing you frustration, but eventually it got easier. You became used to how they acted, learning when to block them out. You still aren’t a huge fan of Heather, Aimee, or Drew, but it is what it is. At the end of the day, they are Nessa’s friends, and Nessa is one of the most important people in your life. You do it for her. Regardless, they can actually be a lot of fun when they aren’t shit talking the other members of the community. 

Soon the group would be referred to as the gang , Heather was the one to initiate the title, and then everyone sort of continued using it.

About once a week, all of you meet up at an old abandoned building on the far west end of the community. Most of the time a mass amount of alcohol is involved, occasionally an old stash of weed. Sometimes you all will listen to music on an old record player Drew found in the cellar, other times someone will bring a deck of cards and you’ll play card games. The nights always end the same; Heather and Aimee both shit face drunk, barely able to move and usually one of them ends up puking at some point in the night, the other gagging in response. Drew takes over as the entertainer, sometimes he will put on plays, reenacting interactions he’s had with the others, playing up the situation and making it way more dramatic than it actually was. Other times he’ll put on a concert, strumming on a three stringed guitar and singing as loud as he possibly can, making up lyrics as he goes. Nessa always ends up in a fit of laughter, her face turning red as she gasps for air.  You, being more modest with your alcohol consumption, tend to sit back and laugh amongst the others. Whatever ends up happening, it is never a dull night.

And then there’s James. 

After Joel left, when Nessa wasn’t available – whether she was busy with the others, helping with the kids at the school, or when she decided Tommy and her needed to have more alone time– James was there for you. For a while, wherever you were, James was right by your side; whether you were in a talkative mood, or just wanted to sit in silence. You’ve come to learn that he is entirely different from what he presented himself as during that first interaction at the gates. James is incredibly kind and sweet, he’s laid back and easy going— for the most part. There’s times where he can get uptight, particularly when he is on guard duty, but he believes that the rules are meant to be followed to a tee, and there's little to no excuse to break them. Which is probably why he and Joel were always at each other's necks. 

Nearly all the girls around your age swoon over James. Stopping whatever they’re doing to look at him— when he enters a room, or walking around the community minding his own business— they always turn to one another, sharing whispers and giggles. Between his looks and the way he generally acts, you can understand why. Any girl would kill to be with someone like him. He pretends he doesn’t notice, but based on the way his cheeks turn red when it happens, you know the truth. He loves the attention. 

You were able to take over Joel’s spot on border patrol with the help of James. From what you’ve heard, Maria was quite hesitant giving you that type of assignment so soon after arriving. Nessa was the one who ended up telling you, and you assume she heard it from Tommy. You don’t know what James said or did to make it happen, but whatever it was, you were grateful he was able to do that for you. 

You can still vividly remember him coming out from the main building one early morning as you and Nessa were heading toward the school; walking with large strides, practically jogging, toward you with a big smile on his face. His long hair being flared out to the sides by the wind. Welcome to the patrolling squad, missy, he shouted across the main town center, causing people to turn a look between the two of you. You shrieked in excitement, running toward him and burying your face into the side of his neck. He wrapped his arms around your waist, swinging you around in a circle. That day was the first day you felt the pure essence of happiness in a long time. The excitement of getting what you wanted was overwhelming.

Nessa never really understood your undying desire to do border patrol. She always told you that you should try and work at the school with her because it was easy and it was fun , or she suggested at the very least you should work in the infirmary. You’d just shrug her off. She wasn’t willing to understand, nor do you think she ever would be able to. 

When you first started, James accompanied you. The two of you would meet at the stables before the sun would rise, making sure you were out early before most were even awake. He took you through a few rotations; checking the fences, clearing the dam, checking the hunting sheds deep within the heavily forested areas, patrolling other parts you weren’t even aware of. He wanted to make sure you knew the proper way of doing things, always making sly remarks which were obvious digs at Joel.

 For the first few months, it was great. But you wanted to be able to do more . Nearly everyday, either on your way back to the main gates or when you’d pass the barn, all you could think about was how badly you wanted to escape and go to the outlook Joel showed you. It was a while before you were able to get back there. 

On one particularly cold and bitter winter day, James had something come up. He met you at the stables as per usual, a perturbed look plastered on his face.

“I won’t be able to go with you today,” He was straightforward. You gave him a small nod, curious as to why and also, who was going to take his place. Please don’t be Drew, please don’t be Drew… you begged in your mind. Last time Drew went with you, it turned out to be an absolute shit show, nearly leaving you stranded on the side of a mountain. “And unfortunately all the guards are busy n’ there’s no one to spare, so that means…” 

“I can go by myself,” You responded maybe a little too eagerly, knowing what this meant. You could do things on your own accord, at your own pace, you could go wherever you wanted and no one would know. James gave you a confused look as you bit down on your lip in anticipation. Never in a million years he’d agree to that, you think.

“That– you know you can’t do that… it’s– it’s not safe, what if… what if something happens. You can just join one of the other groups today and then–” He took a step forward, grabbing your wrist, the snow crunching under his shoe. You could see his breath as he let out an exasperated sigh.

“It’s just fences today, we’ve done this so many times,” You subtly pulled out of his grasp, blowing a strand of hair out of your face. James looked at the ground, slightly shaking his head. “If I can’t do something like this on my own… I probably should get a new assignment.” 

James heartedly chuckled at what you said, taking a moment to contemplate. You gave him wide, pleading eyes. Regardless of his answer, you knew you were going to go, no matter how it made him feel. A fire burned inside your belly at this unexpected opportunity. 

“You do the fences, and come right back, okay?” He finally said, you returned a giddy smile to him, pulling him into a tight hug. He returned your tight embrace, resting his hands on your lower back. “I’ll be on channel 4, if you need anything, you better reach out… and radio me when you get back.”

That day was the first time you returned to the spot, and it certainly wasn’t the last. You made sure to be up and out of your house earlier than before, accidentally leaving James behind, every morning. He asked about it the first few times it happened, you lied and told him you couldn’t wait around for him because it was imperative for you to be back at the community by midday… except you were never back by midday and he knew that. Every time he tried bringing up how you shouldn’t be going out alone, you cut him off changing the subject. After a while he stopped trying and never pushed the matter further, although you could tell that it bothered him. 

You liked to be out there by yourself. Once you step out past those gates, just you and Lucky, you felt as if you were finally able to breathe. You didn’t have to put on a false façade, you were able to just simply be.

On the off chance you didn’t feel like going out alone, you’d stop by Nessa and Tommy’s place on your way out to the stables, inviting Tommy to come along. Those days were few and far between, but Tommy was always happy to join, dropping whatever it was he was supposed to be doing to accompany you. The two of you would talk about all sorts of things; fishing, music, things from before the outbreak, mainly it was Tommy sharing more of his many stories that landed him in a deep amount of trouble. Spending that time with Tommy was therapeutic for you. He quickly became one of your closest friends, and now was like a brother to you. 

There was only one unspoken rule while you two were together. Talking about Joel was off limits.

You never really stopped thinking about Joel. As time went on, the hurt that he caused you slowly melted away, it just kind of sat dormant, always lingering and occasionally it would hit you, but you’ve learned to not let it become debilitating. He often appeared in your dreams, usually unexpectedly showing up in the dining hall, or showing up on your doorstep, or some other part of the community; the two of you would catch each other's eyes. Every time you had this dream, there was a different outcome. Some nights you were relieved to see him, other nights all you could feel for him was anger. No matter how you acted in your dream, when you woke up, a part of you deep inside was always happy to see his face again.

However, no matter how under control you may think you have it, you still look for his face in everyone you come across. You look for that comfort and calmness he brought to your soul in everyone. No one ever comes close, and you sometimes wonder if you’ll ever feel that level of contentment ever again. With more time, this feeling will fade, you always tell yourself. Just give it some more time. 

Since being here, you’ve been able to reconnect with Charles. So much has changed since the apartment building, Dottie and Henry have grown so much. Charles has sort of become like a father figure for you; always checking up on you, making sure you’re fed, your house is stocked up with extra supplies. You’ve been able to actually get to know him now that things are different. 

The two of you first bonded over a book. He caught you reading one early morning, you were sitting on the edge of the field where they grow and harvest root vegetables. The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. You found an old copy in the building that you and the rest of the gang would hang out at. That’s an interesting pick, his voice came out of nowhere, nearly scarring you to death. The cover caught my eye, you responded no louder than a whisper. The truth is, the premise of the book fascinated you, especially considering your own reality. What else have you read, he took a seat next to you. From that point, you and Charles would meet up any chance the two of you had a free moment, talking about books, which eventually took a turn and you ended up forming a close bond with him. 

Now most evenings, you spend over at his house with James. Charles, the kids, you, and James all eat dinner together, and after James helps with the kids’ homework while you and Charles go off to his den. Once the kids go to bed, James and you head out. He insists on walking you home every night, regardless of the fact that he lives on the complete opposite side of the community. You think it's a sweet gesture, but a completely unnecessary one. 

In the spring, Tommy and you started going on fishing trips, usually spending the night out in the woods. Tommy told you about all the summers he spent as a teenager with his friends out at the creeks behind his childhood home; fishing, wrestling in the mud, smoking. Then eventually Charles found out and started tagging along, apparently before the outbreak, he was an avid fisherman, just not a very good one. Once it started becoming a weekly weekend trip, James and Henry would tag along as well. But most often it was just the three of you. You started to cherish the nights you spent under the stars after it started getting too cold, something you never thought you’d end up enjoying and yearning for after all the fearful nights all by yourself. 

—

Placing the pen in the spine of the notebook to hold your place, you close it and set it off to your side on the ground. You reach for your worn out bag, sticking your hand through the half unzipped pouch and feeling around the depths. You pull out a brown paper bag, carefully unrolling the top. Today’s lunch consisted of half a sandwich, the once whole one that Nessa gave you when you stopped by yesterday morning. 

As you're unraveling the moist paper wrapping, you notice some sort of commotion brewing at the main gates. From up here you can see the area in front of the gates, as well as a good portion of the community. The large doors draw open, and about two dozen guards come out from it. Some on foot, others on horseback. You can see half of them beginning to ready their guns, drawing them from their holsters. Your mind completely forgets about your lunch, you’re no longer hungry. You strain your eyes, squinting them, desperate to figure out what's going on. Without looking away, you grab the walkie talkie from the side of your hip, turning the volume dial up. You are instantly hit with an array of voices, some cutting in on each other, sentences overlapping and cutting out. 

“ Yup, just north of the main gates,,” A clear sentence finally comes out. “The—”

It cut out again, and you hit the base of the walkie talkie with your palm. 

“Can you repeat,” A different voice responds. It must be cutting out for everyone , you think. 

“The—” They repeat, cutting out again. “Down by the dam, there‘s only one survivor.”

“Copy,”  A bit of annoyance hangs in their tone. The dam? I was just at the dam an hour-ish ago, you start thinking about when you were there, did you miss something? 

Getting up, you walk over to the edge of the cliff. You have one hand on your hip and the other is holding the radio up to your ear. 

Suddenly everything goes quiet, no one is talking. Your eyes are now locked on the ground, darting from side to side. Surely if they needed your help, they would call you in, right? You start to worry, now switching over to channel 4, the channel that James uses to communicate with all the higher ranking and more experienced guards.

After a few moments of silence, all the guards now out of view as they disappear into the tree line, you return back to the spot at the base of the boulder. Picking up the sandwich, you set the radio down between your crossed legs. You take a modest bite of your soggy sandwich, chewing slowly. You have an odd feeling in the center of your stomach, boarding nausea. 

“C–n..Som–dy” James' voice suddenly comes over the radio, nearly causing you to jump. You force the food down. He’s cutting in and out. Your breathing becomes shallow. Something feels different, you think, you can hear your heartbeat in your ears. 

Another moment of silence follows. You narrow your eyes, drawing your brows close together.

“Tommy ,” He calls out, this time much more clearly. “For fucks sake.” 

Just static.

“Can someone find Tommy , tell him to get to the front gates immediately… Maria too,” His voice is tense, urgent sounding. Your heart is beating fast. “Tell them… Tell them there's a situation.” 

“On it,” A voice promptly responds. “If they ask… what– what should I tell ‘em?”

You listen closer, there’s a long pause before James says anything.

“Tell them…” James’ voice sounds hesitant. There’s some muttering, but you cannot make out who is talking or what they’re saying. Just tell them, you hear faintly, it sounds like it could be Nora, but you can’t be sure. She’s listening right now, I kn — his voice cuts out for a few seconds— this is bullshit, James responds instantly in a hushed, harsh tone.

 “Fine, tell them Joel is back.”

read chapter twelve here!

painting divider | credit: @cottage-writings

[cyandreamzaceattorney]

♤ ace attorney week fanart ♤

(detail explaination of ace-spec hcs for these characters under cut)

A few days I learnt that from 20th-26th of October is ace week! And that inspired me to draw ace attorney characters I personally hc as ace-spec because I'm ace, ace week takes place during my birthday, and I'm still hyperfixated with ace attorney! So today I finished this drawing, and I'm pretty happy with the results :D, I tried to make each character mostly monochromatic with one shade of the ace flag (black for Simon, grey for Franziska, white for Ema and purple for Maya) which lined up very well with most of these characters main canon colours (only outlier is Ema but her lap coat is white so it still works!).

I also designed all the outfits and they're not my faves but I don't dislike them either, though Ema's is based off an outfit from her beta designs. Also in case it wasn't already obvious this drawing is set some time post aa6.

Now for the hc's!

(Of course these are just my personal hc's and you are more than free to have different ones to me, after all different hc's are what makes a fandom fun! At least to me :3)

Simon: I hc him as aroace, personally to me he just feels uninterested in engaging in long term relationships with most people, and the few human connections his has to me feel purely platonic ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ his life partner is definitely Taka, 100% buddy's for life.

Franziska: I hc her as an asexual lesbian, idk why, but I personally see her as specifically a sex repulsed asexual but is attracted to women romantically.

Ema: I hc her as demipansexual/romantic, partly because I've seen a few people hc her as aroace but, by time I saw that I already started to hc her as pansexual (cuz she feels like she has one type, and it's frilly procecutors XD) but one day decided I'd make her a-spec as well cuz why not ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Maya: I hc her as multisexual aroace. Which I know might sound like a contradiction to some so let me explain. Simply put, some aroace people feel little to no sexual/romantic attention but, still enjoy sexual/romantic relationships, again this is some, not all, and you should of course never assume anyone's stance on relationships (a-spec or not). So in my mind, Maya doesn't feel romantic/sexual attraction but, does feel drawn to platonic relationships and in my mind wouldn't mind a romantic and/or sexual with someone she had a good relationship with.

While I did describe this as multisexual aroace, in my hc Maya doesn't label her attention orientation, just knows she doesn't find people attractive in certain ways but is comfortable with those kinds of relationships with a kind person regardless of gender (though maybe she might sometimes call herself bi or pan for ease of understanding? Idk even though these are my hc's, lol).

Hope you all enjoy this drawing :3 I will probably draw more art based around as hc's cuz I have a lot XD

[tedlebred]

if youre comfortable sharing, whats your rendering process? what are some ways you learned? your art is very yummy

HSHSHHSHS hello!!!!!!!!!! first off omg,,,, thank you so much,,,,🤭🤭

secondly!!!! heres my attempt at a rendering process explanation. uhm. warning ive never really been asked to explain it before please bare with me

BUT. here goes. this'll probably be ungodly long apologies

so when i render my biggest rule is basically Do Not Blend Ever. what i do is do my sketch, then flats, then basic placement of blush/shadows+darkest parts/etc and then i go in and just colourpick the inbetweens+place them between colours in small strokes until the changes in colour don't look too sharp/jarring

here's some examples of the process;;;

(still a wip but HSHSHHS) so i work on 3 layers primarily (sometimes i do the hair+items that cover the face on another layer, too, though they might end up getting merged):

^ with just the sketch layer n flats / and then with the render layer added

i go in with a bigger brush to block in colour variation on the face on the flats layer and then paint over that, as well as over the sketch, with smaller strokes on a render layer- i never do lineart lol, and any "lineart" thats visible is just the sketch peeking through. I try to rely on colour and shadow to create shapes and boundaries instead of lines though this isn’t a hard and fast rule.

i also try to stick to the same pallette the entire drawing- once the flats and shadows are first roughly blocked in all the other tones/midshades/colours are basically just inbetweens picked directly from the drawing. Just me zooming in real close till I can see the pixels and colour picking where they sort of mix. (any smaller shifts in hue/tones are just colours with saturation slightly turned up or down, usually) im also not sure if this helps but i use the Sol brush from the clip studio assets store for literally everything from sketch to render, which is basically just a slightly soft opacity brush which ive deluded myself into thinking helps give my art a softer look. idfk if it does or not.:)

I like to use really saturated blush and for shadows I usually use two base colours; a warmer one and a colder one- a warmer one for smaller shadows and shadows near light and then colder ones for planes more in darkness. Also, usually, at the very end of the drawing I’ll add a layer that’s just fully yellow with colour burn or linear burn or multiply turned on and the opacity turned low just to make everything warmer. (a little thing I like doing for shadows sometimes is never making them reach the edge of the plane; the actual edge is usually a slightly lighter shade and it sort of looks like stylised bounce light that would probably not be there but anyhoo)

but yeah,,,, Never Blend But Make It Look Almost Blended. I’ve been doing it forever,,,,,, and I really like the almost shiny feeling it gives things:)))

And where did I learn. Ough. A lot of what I do I figured out through trial and error and just drawing a bunch (IM SORRY THATS REALLY NOT HELPFUL) but some sources I looked towards were sinix design and bluebiscuits on YouTube!!!!! Sinix has a really good video on rendering skin which is where I sort of took my principles from and ran. And bluebiscuits was a huge inspiration for me when I started trying to render things beyond flats!!!!!!! They’re also where I found the sol brush, lol. Also just,,, the impressionist movement as a whole is a massive inspiration. The use of light and shapes to create form is just,,, omg. Especially Claude Monet in particular. (and for the basics of drawing I learnt from my aunt!)

and honestly, just observing people. A lot of the time when I’m watching a movie or on a walk or even just talking with someone I tend to start looking at their face, and the different planes, how light hits it and how shadow interacts with it, where the shadows are harsher/softer……….people are wild man

I really hope that made sense!!!!!! I’ve never tried explaining it before and honestly, I’m not even really sure how I do it. I just sorta. Switch off and start drawing, yk? BUT I HOPE IT HELPED!!!!🫶🫶💞💖

in case that was all utter nonsense here’s a speedpaint that’ll hopefully demonstrate my process;;

I also have straight up screen recordings of me drawing but. I don’t think anyone wants to sit though that

thank you for the ask!!!!!have a nice day/night and SORRY THAT ENDED UP THAT LONG

[brainjvice]

Me when i put discourse free in my bio but at the end of the day I'm nothing but a strong opinionated yapper. So I will eventually yap.

Cw fandom discourse (yes that type of fandom discourse). Putting the rest under cut so you can chose whether to interact or not.

Ok but I wish fandom discourse was actually more nuanced than just having a "fiction doesn't affect reality" vs "if you like smt fictional it means you endorse it irl" because simply both of these statements aren't true.

Fiction does affect reality, just not in a 1:1 scale, and when it comes to dark content and themes, we should collectively learn to be more careful about it.

Not because it could be "normalized" (whatever the fuck it means nowadays) at a greater scale, but because your brain often can't tell what's and what's not reality. Which means that, if you consume a certain amount of content, your brain may get desensitised to it even when it gets to real life event.

Of course, we are all thinking beings who can choose how to act accordingly to a specific situation. But to say that *only* consuming a certain type of content doesn't have any repercussion irl is just. Wrong. It's just that the "repercussions" are very personal.

Now. Everyone is different, and every brain copes and elaborates stuff differently. But in my long stay on the DDDNE and NSFW side of twt, I learnt that not all people can actually put a *very strong line* between what's real and what's not. And I want you to be more aware of it.

You can't control what other people do nor how other people think or act. What you can control is your approach to certain topics. And be more aware about some consequences that may happen regardless if you want to or not.

Said consequences may be desensitization towards the irl equivalent of the dark topic you're consuming 24/7. Of course, like all psychological effects, this is not something that Inevitably happens to everyonr. Also, it's not something that turns you into a bad or evil person. But it can still affect you.

...anyway. I think that we should not judge someone for their tastes in fiction, regardless of what and how much of it they consume. Esp if it's very blatant the person is using it to cope.

Judging someone's coping method is vile, no matter how "wrong" you think said coping method is, and I will fight everyone on this matter. Leave victims alone. Stop policing victims' coping methods.

It's within your right to be disgusted or triggered by certain topics. Block whoever makes you uncomfortable. But to call out someone. To call out a VICTIM. For what they are doing with *fictional characters* is wrong, end of the story. It's not up to you to say what they are doing is wrong. Yes it's true you may get desensitised if exposed to snt 24/7. Yes its true it can affect your perception of certain irl topics.

But since it's a very very personal matter, you should still mind your business. Protect yourself by blocking the person and the tags that trigger you. Think about *yourself* and yourself only. It's not about "antis" vs "proshippers" and it should not be a "us vs you" matter in general. The way you consume content is extremely personal and there are Many shades of grey in-between.

(Tbh this is also why I'm appreciating tumblr a bunch more. It doesn't feel like you are forced to pick a side. U just chill, put tw and call it a day. Or maybe i just got lucky lol.)

[f0point5]

would love to hear more of your takes on the wags fashion senses!! i think you bring a great perspective

Aw thanks 😊 I’m so not qualified though I don’t know anything about the principles of fashion or aesthetics at all so keep that in mind lol

Alexandra - I have to say her style is slowly becoming my favourite. I feel like she has a really consistent style and she dresses for her body type. I do think she is quite a shy person and the reason I think that shows up in her fashion is because there’s such a stark difference between “race weekend” casual and actual casual for her. Like around Monaco or in pictures when she on holiday with friends you see her in more trousers, even jeans, whereas on race weeks even while travelling it’s a lot more float dresses that I think are designed to look more out together. No shade, she looks great either way, but i feel like it’s noticeable. That said she does have a stylist and I think that plays into it a bit. I don’t always love what she wears but it’s always soothing that I would associate with her, which I just love. I love when people dress in a way that is recognisable as “their” style. Also, She gets wayyy too much hate for wearing affordable/gifted clothing though. People are so deluded if they think even wealthy people only wear couture all the time in their early 20s. It’s not true. Find me one person from the age of 16-26 who is rich who doesn’t have at least 5 items of high street clothing in their closet. Yes they may be able to afford nicer things and appreciate quality but it’s really not that deep. Sometimes you just see a Zara jacket you like. No one cares if it’s not Chanel. Also if you’re gifted clothes, why would you not wear them? Brand deal or no brand deal if someone gives me a voucher to get something from their website and I like it? Hell yeah I’ll wear it to a race to promote the brand. Why not? They’re kinder to me than everyone on the internet complaining about me all the time anyway.

Rebecca - oof. She’s hit or Miss for me. The misses are infrequent, but there have been a couple of appearance where I’m like girl why and it’s an extreme why. The curly hair thing was a why. The outfit she wore on Saturday in Miami was a shy.. I actually generally like her style, I like that she wears a lot of neutrals. For me she epitomises the original aesthetic of Ralph Lauren, which I believe he based on his own wife. Elegant, simple, effortlessly sexy, and I actually think that fits her so well because her face matches the vibe. People have a lot to say about her surgeries and her previous jobs but purely from the looking at her I think she has the most “wealthy” aesthetic, in the face and the style. Also, she so clearly has learnt from being a model how to dress herself and put herself together well. Also that simplicity is something you learn from modelling because you’re so often made to go to casting in the bare minimum of make up and clothing and somehow you still have to make that work for you, which she does.

Carmen - She Calls her stylist too often, methinks. I love a curated and recognisable style, I do. But her and George are almost too curated, especially because I do think they take the “old money” cosplay too far. I actually dress quite similar to hear a lot of the time, but I also feel like if you are going to wear wide leg trousers and a blouse without fail all the time, you do need to add more spice sometimes. Like she could benefit from a colourful mini Kelly to go with an outfit, or maybe a pattern silk shirt, sort of Versace style, to go with the trousers once in a while. Look, even Lydia Millen (who I think of when I see Carmen because of the cosplay) adds different colours and prints in sometimes. And maybe this is going to sound harsh, but because she looks so much older than she is, I wouldn’t style her like I would style Susie Wolff. You can tell exactly when Carmen completely revamped her style, it is a very simple picture essay. I just feel like she decided on this particular aesthetic but she’s not living in it enough to be comfortable enough to have fun with, and infuse her own personality into it. So yeah while I like her outfits, I think she adheres too rigidly to the aesthetic.

Kelly - Controversial, but I don’t actual hate everything she wears. As I said, I think she really appreciates the art of fashion, and she is very excited to have access to all of it, but she gets lost in the shuffle. Contrary to popular belief I don’t actually think Kelly is a very strong character, I think she uses her clothes to make herself seen in a lot of situations where she would otherwise not feel confident, and that’s why her clothes always look like they’re wearing her. I really like her style when she is not “being seen” such as the outfit she wore when yacht shopping with Max, or the outfits she wore in Paris and Melbourne when outfit with Penelope. Or at the Longines horse show. That style is more similar to Rebecca’s which I think suits both of them. I think she looks good in Louis Vuitton, they’ve dressed her for the Monaco GP the last two years and both outfits suited her. I think she just uses the clothes as a crutch sometimes and she really doesn’t have to.

Lily M - No notes. Perfection. I love her outfits, she always looks so put together. I think she’s a bit of a foil for Kelly because she also experiments sometimes with colour and has a more mature style than say, Alexandra or Kika, but Lily always seems so at home in her clothes, they never overshadow her. I don’t love everything she wears all the time but I always think what she wears suits her.

Lily Z -Has upped her style game from last year that’s for sure. Her style is pretty unique amongst wags, but pretty…normal? Relatively affordable, not too dressy, not too attention grabbing. I do notice that she seems to put a bit more effort in now, I guess she’s more aware of being watched. But still definitely keeping herself low-key and isn’t falling into the influencer trap at all, which makes sense considering once she finishes her engineering course she is looking to work in motorsport. Sorry to say but she won’t be taken as seriously if there’s pictures of her dressed like Kika.

Kika - Dresses like every other girl her age would if they had her body. She’s gorgeous but the style to me is very a la mode.

Hope you enjoyed my style rundown 🫣

[koschei-the-ginger]

Screw it, brief reviews of Jason Bateman's filmography pre-Arrested Development

(there are only 4 pics but the post is long)

1981 Little House on the prairie - He was there for 1 season and already became so popular they made the grand finale all about him being a proof that God exists lol

1983 Just a little more love - can't find this one

1982 Silver spoons - they had to fire him because the second he appeared on screen nobody gave a crap about the other kid, iconic, I've only had Derek Taylor for 21 episodes but if anything happened to him yk yk..

1984 Knight Rider - Derek Taylor steals a car

1985 Robert Kennedy and his Times - I'm sure he's in it somewhere but it's like SIX hours long and incredibly boring

1984 The Fantastic World of DC Cooper - Derek Taylor strikes again

1984 It's your Move - Arrested Development for 6th graders, this show is SO fucking funny the parents insisted on killing it together with his Derek-sona for good.

1985 Right to kill - blink and you'll miss him, this is his sister's movie

1986 Mr Belvedere - MILF CHASER

1986 Can you feel me dancing - a commissioned tv movie to show off Justine Bateman's range

1986 St Elsewhere - see, Dave Hogan can do drama too (no)

1986 Valerie/ The Hogan family - his most famous role pre-AD and I genuinely don't understand why, stale bread even for a family sitcom™. Cancelled for being the only show that was normal about aids thanks to Jason. They also dyed his hair to a different shade of auburn each season for some reason lol

1987 Bates Motel - this was supposed to be a sequel to Psycho 🤨

1987 Teen Wold too - words cannot describe how much I hate this movie and everything about it

1987 Matlock - he's playing "Jason Bateman, the star of Valerie" only 1 year after they fired Valerie from Valerie hmm...

1987 Moving target - this was fine

1988 Our House - if your kids think giving 10k to a teenager will get them a record label at 13 it's on them, he did nothing wrong

1988 Crossing the mob - you can watch this but god at what cost, it's so grainy you can barely see their faces (okay movie tho)

1989 Breaking the rules - commissioned to show that he can do some "serious" acting, a tragic mistake on everyone's part

1991 Necessary roughness - Scott Bakula simps, I understand, no I seriously get it

1992 A Taste for killing - for every good movie (prev) you get 2 bad ones

1994 Confessions: two faces of evil - COPAGANDA

1994 This can't be love - *looks up synonyms for CUTE*

1994 Black sheep - can't find this one either

1995 Hart to Hart - he was so annoying they made him believe he's related to Donald Trump I can't even rgsthsrth

1995 An affectionate look at fatherhood - can't find this one either²

1995 Burke's law - this show is so camp you need to WATCH THE DUEL

1995 Simon - the writing is atrocious, he's trying SO hard to make it work while Harland Williams recites every line as if he had just learnt to read. Tragically, a must watch, I wish it existed in HD

1996 Ned and Stacey - a sitcom star playing a sitcom star in a sitcom making fun of Friends, 10/10

1997 Chicago sons - 3 polish brothers live together, Jared Paladecki isn't in this eventhough there are at least 4 people that look like him

1998 George and Leo - if this came out today AO3 would be full of this elderly gay couple

1999 Love stinks - not mine but yk

2000 Rude awakening - the absence of a laugh track caught me off guard, he's doing his best Bud Bundy impression down to the tragic goatee

2001 Some of my best friends - after this many cancelled sitcoms you stop seeing AD as a show that's simply good but as a miracle

2002 The Jake effect - if Scrubs was about hs teachers

2002 The sweetest thing - nobody cares about the men this is the penis song movie

2002 No way out - this is like Cary Elwes-kind of bad

2003 Sol Goode - blink and you'll miss him (idk what's even happening)

2003 Twillight Zone -someone get him an Emmy for trying to bribe a ghost of a kid he unintentionally murdered

[k9effect]

can i just say that i absolutely adore your art! Your compositions, colour usage and the atmospheres you create for every single piece you make are so amazing! Every time you post something I drool over every single aspect of your drawings.

Also the way you use and implement your line-art or outlines in your drawings is so cool and effective! It's like you always know where to include or not include line-art or outlining, which also makes your compositions extra cool!

As someone who's always struggled with creating effective compositions and when to implement that sometimes "less is more" I think your art is so impressive! Is it difficult for you to create your compositions and when to include outlines or not?

I've had this sitting in my inbox for a couple weeks sorryyyy haha I wanted ti actually take my time to answer this but keep getting busy lol this is so nice to hear!!! I love hearing like,, specific things that people like about my art

I've recently decided I'm not going to finish the degree because... life, but I was an art direction major in an animation bachelors degree! I learnt a lot about compositing art there! But for the most part with everything else, I'm pretty much self taught!

I'm a slut for lighting and atmosphere in art so its what I focus on most! Its my favourite part of the drawing process! When I've got the sketch and colours down and then I can start building up the layers of shading and highlights and overlays! I add clipping layers ontop of the line art and add colours to the actual lineart where i think it needs it! Sometimes I'll just add a layer ontop of everything and just draw over things and render it further! I wish I could give you more of my thought process but there's reall not much of one, its just chasing how I feel and aiming for a Vibe(tm). Most of my rendered drawings have 70-100 layers, some of them are just,,, bullshit shading and adding other overlays or glow dodge layers.

For composition, I use a lot of references, some I took myself, most off of pinterest or stock image sites. They're my base and I'll photobash something together to get the vibe and then start the actual drawing. Other than that, not a lot of planning goes into it ahaha I tend to just wing it and figure it out as I go which is probably a bad method ahaha

Idk if this answered what you're asking cause I kind of just word vomited but I hope its something ahah

My inbox is always open if anyone ever wants to chat <3

[pyrriax]

1, 14, 15, 16 and 23, for the artist ask game

1. Show your most recent WIP

^ wip artfight attack! its in the ugly stage of coloring, lol

ignore the blocked out bit, i am Not doxxing myself today thank u

14. How has your art changed over the years?

really, the biggest change has been the fact i've gotten more comfortable drawing things that were previously completely outside my comfort zone!

my improvement has mostly been a slow change after i decided to completely change my style, abandoning clean linework for a textured brush that works better for my shaky hands

i'm still getting a grasp on anatomy and stylizing it, since it's something i never really learnt and instead just half-assed in a believable fashion, but i do think i've improved in that regard :)

15. Biggest artist pet peeve?

when people erase major character traits / ethnic traits in their art of someone else's character!!!

(but also a smaller one is just when people use pitch black to shade saturated colors, since it muddies the tones in a way i'm not a fan of)

16. What's the most daunting part of your process? (Ex: planning, sketching, lineart, rendering, etc)

mostly just the sketching / planning, since i can't usually get the concept in my head on the paper adequately, lol

23. Do you listen to music or watch shows while you work? If so, what’s your favourite?

oh yes!! i listen to a variety of music while i draw, though i tend to just listen to things like chirpin' by prince zuko or eat your salad by ceti zēni (basically just "songs that make you question your sanity after you've listened to it for two hours straight")

sometimes i watch minecraft videos or random shows, but usually its just music (i was watching branzy's year on lifesteal video for the third time while i was writing earlier, lol -- last show i watched while drawing was cyberpunk edgerunners im pretty sure? my memory's spotty ok)

[jade-wyton]

FORGOT I had this painting practice (attempting shading values before colour) and its just been sitting there, ready to colour. My bad lol. I think it looked better before colours, but I learnt a LOT doing it & can see the improvement in some other pieces :)